SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies has said Government has given the "strongest possible hint" Bradford Odeon will receive regeneration funding.

An application was made to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for £4 million of funding to regenerate the Odeon building.

The announcement of successful bids in the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund is due soon, but Mr Davies said Culture Minister Matt Hancock dropped a large hint in the House of Commons the bid has been successful.

Responding to a question about the Odeon from Mr Davies in the Commons, Mr Hancock said: “Nobody has done more to make the case for the regeneration of the Bradford Odeon than him, we have a fund into which the Odeon has applied for support for its rejuvenation right in the heart of Bradford.

"And this man has put his heart and soul into the campaign and we will be announcing the results of that. I cannot tell him the answer today, we will be announcing the results very soon, but I have got a smile on my face.”

Mr Davies had asked: “The Secretary of State and the minister will probably be bored of me lobbying them about the Bradford Odeon being a recipient of the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund, but if I could test their patience once more.

"This is a project that has wide spread support across the Leeds city region and among many of those in the cultural sector, it will do a massive amount to regenerate the Bradford district. So can the Bradford Odeon be a recipient of this fund.”

Leeds City Region submitted a bid to transform the former Bradford Odeon cinema into a 4,000 capacity live music, entertainment and events venue, which will be operated by the NEC Group.

Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East, added: “After months of lobbying Ministers, persuading them personally of the huge benefits of the Odeon, and meetings with Bradford Live and the NEC Group, the game-changing decision of whether the Odeon has been successful in its bid for cultural regeneration funding is almost upon us, and there is every indication that this hard work will pay off with the bid being seriously considered by the Government.

“The Odeon has the strongest possible case that I have been presenting since becoming an MP, with the prospect of huge benefits for Bradford in the form of greatly increased visitor numbers, huge amounts of money coming into the City and the conclusion of the city centre’s redevelopment, and I am optimistic that all of this will be recognised when the Government make their decision.”